Josh Garrels - Chrysaline

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A native of Indiana, singer/songwriter Josh Garrels has released his new album 'Chrysaline'. Josh Garrels has spent more than a decade crafting music that cuts clean through. Resting in the space between accessibility and honesty, Garrels’ songs wrestle with and celebrate the mystery of faith with authenticity and heart.

On his own Small Voice Records, he released 2008's Jacaranda and toured extensively, eventually moving to North Carolina where he released a collection of rarities called the Lost Animals EP. In 2010, he collaborated with the Brooklyn-based Mason Jar Music collective performing an orchestrated version of his song "Words Remain" at...Read More A native of Indiana, singer/songwriter Josh Garrels has released his new album 'Chrysaline'. Josh Garrels has spent more than a decade crafting music that cuts clean through. Resting in the space between accessibility and honesty, Garrels’ songs wrestle with and celebrate the mystery of faith with authenticity and heart.

On his own Small Voice Records, he released 2008's Jacaranda and toured extensively, eventually moving to North Carolina where he released a collection of rarities called the Lost Animals EP. In 2010, he collaborated with the Brooklyn-based Mason Jar Music collective performing an orchestrated version of his song "Words Remain" at a historic Episcopal Church in Manhattan. Although Garrels has remained loosely tied to the Christian music community throughout his career, he has shied away from declaring himself either a strictly Christian or secular artist, instead letting his music tell the his life's story.

In 2011, he released the elaborate double album Love & War & the Sea in Between which was influenced by his adopted home of Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. The album was praised by both Christian and secular media as a career milestone for Garrels. In 2015 he released, Home, which he offered to fans for free download via the website Noisetrade. The following year saw the release of the holiday-themed The Light Came Down.

So what about this album? Well from the moment I pressed play, the excitement and hype that builds for the opening track The Gift really drags you into this album. The atmospheric song builds and builds into this brilliant masterpiece. It really isn't a bad way to start any album.

The only way I personally can describe this album would be, creative and atmospheric. You, as the listener, are taken on a bit of a journey, which isn't always straight and narrow, the musical road of this album has a few different turns, but at the core of the album is this atmospheric edge that is alluring.

Josh on this album explores themes of compassion, hope, longing, and liberation. The album as a whole is what I like to call arty alt-indie pop that also has mixes of folk and hip hop . I think that covers the genres enough! If you think of artists like Hossier and Lana Del Ray, but with the contrast and brightness turned up a notch, then you start to appreciate the sound of this album. All I can say as a new listener to Josh Garrels is, I loved it!

Review by Jono Davies

LTTM Rating 4 Out of 5 StarsStandout TracksAnchor For My Soul
Closer Than A Brother

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A native of Indiana, singer/songwriter Josh Garrels released his new album 'Chrysaline' on August 9, 2019. The album features the recent singles 'The Banner', 'Butterfly' and 'Closer Than a Brother'. Josh Garrels has spent…